Keeping that spark going!

Friday, February 03, 2012

I have spent a while away from Sparkpeople as some of you will have noticed. Its been a bit of a rough time for me and various things in my life became very stressful. I didnt leave because I gave up, I didnt leave because I didnt want this anymore, I left because being on here has taught me that first and foremost you must take care of yourself before making drastic changes and take things one step at a time. Sparkpeople has never been far from my mind and I know that no matter how many times I need to take some time out and reassess things or just get some headspace, I will always come back because life is so precious and this website is the key to pushing forward and making solid permenant changes for the better.

There are so many wonderful people on here from all walks of life, all here for one reason - to make a positive change. I am proud to say that I am one of those people and I thank those who have helped me and continue to help me because you are what makes this website so special and you are what keeps people pushing forward even when they feel like they cant.

I have gained a little while I have been away but nothing to drastic and I truly believe that is down to Sparkpeople. Before all of this, a break from a healthy lifestyle would have been filled with chocolate, chinese, pizza and pretty much anything else I could get my hands on! This time was different. There were some really dark and stressful moments, but I pushed through remembering all the way that ultimately a healthy lifestyle is the key to getting out of it all. To have more energy, think things through clearly and that eating my body weight in chocolate will not change a thing...except maybe my scales - in the wrong direction! Im not going to lie Christmas was full of naughty foods and drinks but I still had some kind of control, even if it wasn't complete control it was enough to push me through and remember that I wouldnt feel this way forever.

If you are just joining this website for the first time and it seems like a mountain of information that is never going to sink in or that it is going to be impossible - dont. Baby steps are the key to making this work. Changing one little thing at a time will get you where you want to be and make your life a more positive and brighter place. I used to think I needed to do it all and do it now for me to lose weight and feel happier about myself, this is not true. Being overweight and under confident didnt happen overnight and neither will reversing it all.

Being here has taught me that I can do anything I want to do. If I take it one step at a time and work hard I can achieve anything and you can too! Dont ever pressure yourself into thinking you need to be perfect at this, all you need to do to succeed is never quit! Dont feel guilty about taking a break to get your head straight or eating the wrong thing or not doing enough exercise now and again because all of it is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Celebrate each and every achievement - however small! Every healthy thing you do counts towards a healthier, happier future. Positivity is the key and I will continue to push forward and keep trying with a smile on my face!

Thank you Sparkpeople, for making me see that I am worth the effort, that I can do this whether it be in giant leaps or tiny steps - I will get there. Thank you for helping me find some lovely people, people who have taught me things and picked me up when I needed it. Thank you for showing me that I am not alone in all this. Sparkpeople is a big part of my life and I am here to stay. Even if I do 'vacation' for a little bit here and there, the spark is still with me and will never leave.

NUOVAELLE
Sooo true!!! This site is life-changing in many more ways than just weight loss and fitness. As I've already said, it's good to have you back again. And thank you for this nice blog!2206 days ago